Cooling apparatus

ABSTRACT

The cooling apparatus ( 2 ) for a wine bottle includes a pump ( 18, 20 ) for circulating iced water ( 30 ) around the inside of chamber ( 4 ). A bottle ( 14 ) is placed within the chamber ( 4 ). The pump ( 18 ) may be operated by a timer mechanism ( 10 ).

This is a National Phase Application of PCT/GB99/02126 filed on Jul.2,1999, which in turn is based on GB Application 9814405.8 filed Jul.2,1998, the priority of which is claimed herein.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cooling acontainer and has particular, although not exclusive, relevance to sucha cooling apparatus for use in a domestic environment for cooling winebottles and the like.

Systems for cooling or chilling bottles of drink have long been known.On a basic level, a bottle to be chilled may be wrapped in a wet cloth.The latent heat of vaporisation of the water is obtained from the bodyof fluid within the container. This is a common technique for chillingwine bottles and the like on hot summer days.

More complex systems have been proposed, such as those disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 3,888,092 and GB-A 1,537,821.

The former document shows the use of a chamber containing cooling fluid.A bottle for chilling is placed into the container and partiallyimmersed in the cooling fluid. A refrigeration system is provided tochill the cooling fluid to a temperature sufficiently low to allow rapidchilling of the bottle and its contents.

In the case of the latter document, a bottle for chilling may be placedupon a platform which is immersible in cooling fluid. Once again, arefrigeration apparatus is included to chill the cooling fluid to therequired temperature.

Both the above documents, and other similar arrangements in the priorart, have a common feature of firstly chilling the cooling fluid itselfto as low a temperature as possible thereby allowing rapid cooling of abottle or other container. Furthermore, all of these systems includesome form of refrigeration apparatus in order to chill the coolingfluid.

There exist various problems with the above approach, however. Suchproblems include the need to have a bulky system because of the use of arefrigerant apparatus to chill the cooling fluid itself. Commonrefrigerant systems include a heat exchanger, pump, expansion valves andthe like. Furthermore, such a discrete refrigeration system needs todraw power from the mains or from a large battery supply.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4 825 665 a bottle is suspended in a container of icedwater and the container is rotated.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5 005 378 a bottle is suspended in a bucket of ice androtated by a hand drill like mechanism.

In each case there are substantial moving parts and laminar flow will beestablished around the bottle, reducing the cooling efficiency.

There exists, therefore, the need for a relatively small, simple, andlightweight unit which is simple to operate and transfer heat from thebottle and its contents to the iced water as quickly as possible.

It is thus an object of the present invention to at least alleviate theaforementioned shortcomings by providing cooling apparatus comprising achamber for receiving a container to be cooled, the chamber arranged tocontain cooling fluid for cooling the container within the chamber; thecooling fluid being a mixture of ice and water; the apparatus furthercomprising means for circulating the cooling fluid within the chamber.It has been found that, by providing a chamber which is able to retain afluid mixture of ice and water and then circulating the fluid mixturearound the container to be chilled, a rapid chilling of the contents ofthe container is achieved, particularly if turbulent flow is induced.

Preferably the apparatus includes a timer mechanism for controllingduration of the circulating means. Advantageously the chamber includes athermally insulative wall to prevent heat transfer from the environmentoutside the chamber with the cooling fluid.

Advantageously the chamber includes a support member on which acontainer for cooling may be placed. Preferably the circulating means ishoused below the support member.

In a preferred embodiment the circulating means is arranged to drawcooling fluid through a first portion of the support member and ejectthe drawn cooling fluid through a further portion of the support member.This allows directional control of the flow of cooling fluid within thechamber.

Preferably the chamber defines a cylinder and the circulating meansdrives the cooling fluid around the chamber so that the cooling fluidcirculates around the container within the chamber. Preferably the flowof the cooling fluid is substantially turbulent.

Advantageously, the chamber includes a flared portion defining acarrying handle.

Advantageously the thermally insulative wall comprises a double-skinnedwall of plastics material with air between the double skins.

Preferably the timer mechanism comprises an adjustable timer which mayoperate the agitation means when set and stop operation of the agitationmeans when timed-out.

Preferably the circulation means comprises a pump, which may be asubmersible pump. The use of such a pump enables the fluid to becirculated around the chamber.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda method of cooling a container placed within a chamber comprising;

providing a mixture of ice and water within the chamber,

placing the container within the chamber so as to be at least partiallyimmersed in the mixture;

agitating the mixture to circulate about the container.

Preferably the duration of agitation of the mixture is set in dependenceupon the required degree of cooling of the container.

Advantageously agitation of the mixture is achieved by pumping the fluidaround the chamber.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provideda cooling apparatus comprising: a chamber for receiving a container tobe cooled and a quantity of ice and water for cooling the container, thechamber dimensioned to receive the container so that a defined spaceexists between the walls of the chamber and the container; means forcirculating of the quantity of ice and water between the container andthe chamber walls; and a timer mechanism for controlling operation ofthe circulating means.

Preferably the chamber is dimensioned to provide a clearance of fromabout 15 mm to about 50 mm around the side wall(s) of the intendedcontainer, more preferably from about 20 mm to about 40 mm, and moreparticularly about 25 mm to about 35 mm.

Other aspects and preferred features of the invention are set forth inthe accompanying claims.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only,with reference to the following drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view from one side of a cooling apparatus inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view from above of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a part-sectional view of a cooling apparatus including awine bottle in accordance with the present invention from one side;

FIG. 4 shows a similar view to FIG. 3 but at 90° degrees thereto;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from above of a support member inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view from below of the support member of FIG.5, and;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of an electrical control systemfor an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2 there can be seen a cooling apparatusshown generally as 2. The apparatus comprises housing 3 which defines acylindrical chamber 4. The chamber 4 comprises a thermally insulativewall 6 which is formed as a double-skinned ABS plastics moulding, aswill be described further below. It will be appreciated that othermaterials may be used for the container wall, and a double skinconstruction is preferred.

The outer periphery of the wall 6 includes flared portions 8 which areso formed to provide carrying handles for the apparatus 2. The flaredportions 8 may also be formed on the walls of the chamber 4 even if thewalls are not thermally insulative.

The lower portion of the apparatus 2 includes, in this example, amanually adjustable timer mechanism 10. The purpose of the timingmechanism 10 will be more fully described below.

Referring now also to FIGS. 3 and 4 it can be seen that the inner wall 6b of the apparatus 2 an inner base 11 integrally formed at its lower endto define the chamber 4. The wall 11 rests upon legs 13 which protrudeup from the exterior base 7, and a support member 12 rests on the innerbase 11.

The support member 12 supports a container placed within the chamber, inthis example a wine bottle 14 to be cooled. It will be understood thatwhen we speak of cooling the bottle 14 it is the contents of the bottlewhich are desired to be cooled.

From these figures it can be seen that the thermally insulative wall 6comprises a double-skin 6 a and 6 b each of which is formed from ABSplastics material as mentioned above. Between the skins 6 a and 6 b istrapped a pocket of air 16 which provides thermal insulation between theskins 6 a, 6 b.

Into the chamber 4 is poured a mixture of ice and water up to a maximumlevel usually determined by the size of the bottle 14. Because thechamber 4 is arranged to accommodate different size and shapecontainers, the volume of ice and water which needs to be poured intothe chamber in order to immerse the container to a sufficient extentthat cooling may take place is variable. The chamber is dimensioned tosuit an intended application, in this case to act as a wine bottlecooler. Preferably the interior of the chamber has a circularcross-section in the range of from about 110 mm to about 160 mm, morepreferably about 120 to about 150 mm, and particularly about 130 toabout 140 mm. In this example, the chamber has a circular internalcross-section, tapering from about 140 mm diameter at the top to about130 mm diameter at the bottom. This will accept the great majority ofwine bottle sizes, typically 75 mm to 85 or 90 mm in diameter.

The chamber is deep enough to accept the major part of the container.Preferably the shoulder of a wine bottle is positioned below the rim ofthe chamber. In the embodiment shown, the chamber has a depth of about250 mm, and will be filled with an ice water mixture to a depth of about230 mm when the bottle is in place.

It is important to note, however, that no active cooling of the ice andwater mixture takes place. It is only due to the ice in the water thatthe mixture is able to obtain and maintain a temperature of close to 0°C. The temperature obtained will depend on the quantity of ice in themixture, and ambient conditions such as the water temperature and roomtemperature. There is no external refrigeration or cooling applied tothe water when in the container.

It can be seen that the inner base 11 effectively partitions theapparatus 2 into two portions, an upper and a lower portion. The upperportion defines the chamber 4 in which is the bottle 14 whilst, in thelower portion is the timer mechanism 10 and a low voltage pump motor 18for agitating the ice—water mixture within the chamber 4.

The inner base 11 has a central skirt 19 and the motor 18 is coupled tothe skirt by a bayonet fitting (not shown) and an O-ring 21 forms awatertight seal between the motor and the skirt 19.

The pump is of a known type and, in this example, comprises a waterproofmagnetic motor arrangement which drives an impeller 20 which is housedat its lower end in a bore 23 in the motor and journalled at its upperend in the support member 12.

Referring now also to FIGS. 5 and 6, the arrangement of the supportmember 12 and its interaction with the pump 18, 20 can be more readilyunderstood.

The support member 12 has, on its upper surface, a plurality of ribs 22which define a grid structure on which the bottle 14 may sit. It will beunderstood that the ribs 22 support the bottle 14 proud of the surfaceof the support member 12. This is to allow water to flow radially pastthe ribs 22 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 5 and downthrough central apertures 24.

The underside of the support member 12 (as shown in FIG. 6) includes acowling 26. Cowling 26 sits in an annular recess 27 in the top of themotor 18 and surrounds the vanes of the impeller 20, save at a channel27. The impeller 20 (not shown in FIG. 6) draws water through theapertures 24 from the upper surface of the support member 12 to itslower surface and then forces the fluid in the direction of the arrowshown in FIG. 6 through the channel 27 and out via exit port 28 which issituated adjacent the inner skin 6 b (see FIG. 3) in the annular gapbetween the bottle 14 and inner skin 6 a. The exit port directs thewater circumferentially of the chamber 4. In this manner the water iscirculated in the upper portion of the chamber 4 above the supportmember 12. In this example, the water and ice will circulate completelyaround the inside of the chamber 4 about the bottle 14, if the pump 18,20 is sufficiently powerful.

The support member 12 sits in a co-operating recess 11 a in the base 11.The impeller 20 carries a magnet at its lower end and is driven in anon-contact manner by the pump motor 18, which is housed below the base11, ensuring that there is complete electrical isolation between themotor power supply and the water in the chamber 4.

In use of the cooling apparatus as herein before described, and as isshown with reference to schematic representation of FIG. 7, a user mayfirst partially fill the chamber 4 with a mixture of ice and water, andthen insert the bottle 14. Alternatively the bottle 14 may be insertedinto the chamber 4 to rest upon support member 12 before adding themixture of ice and water (the cooling fluid).

The chamber 4 may be only partially filled with ice and water(shown as30 in FIGS. 3 and 4) particularly if the ice and water is added to thechamber 4 before insertion of the bottle 14. This will be important inorder to ensure that the ice and water 30 does not overflow beyond theupper lip 32 of the chamber 4. Although this will have no effect uponthe operation of the apparatus, given that it is designed particularlyfor use in the domestic environment, overflow of the ice and water willcause a spillage which then needs to be cleared away. For this reason,it is preferable for the inside of chamber 4 to carry a warning marking34 to indicate the maximum level to which fluid in the chamber 4 shouldbe filled.

Once both the ice and water 30 and the bottle 14 are positioned withinthe chamber 4, then the user will set the timer mechanism 10 for thedesired cooling time. The timer in this example is a simple clockworktimer allowing different times to be set and operating a switch whichfeed a low voltage power supply from a transformer (not shown) to themotor 18 form cable 38. Although in this example the motor 18 is shownas being powered by a mains supply 36, it is possible for the motor 18to be powered by a battery, or even clockwork, thereby making the entireapparatus 2 completely portable.

When activated, the motor of the pump 18 drives the impeller 20 whichthen agitates the water by re-circulating it within the container. Thecirculation is most preferably quite vigorous or turbulent, to providegood mixing of the ice and water, cooling the water, and to avoid astable, wanner, layer of water remaining around the bottle. The bottleitself is likely to rotate as the water—ice mixture is circulated.

Once the timer 10 has timed-out, then the motor of the pump 18 stops andcirculation of the ice and water 30 around the chamber 4 also stops.

It has been found, surprisingly, that use of a mixture of ice and wateras the sole cooling fluid in the present invention, when circulatedaround the chamber 4, provides a much more rapid cooling of the bottle14 than would have been the case if the cooling fluid 30 were notcirculated but remained static. Indeed, it has been found that bycirculating the cooling mixture 30 for between 2 and 10 minutes, andpreferably for around four minutes, the contents of the bottle 14 areable to be chilled to a temperature that, had the ice and water 30remained static, would only have been reached in around 20-30 minutes.This is particularly significant and provides an important advantage ofthe present invention. This is even more significant when one considersthat in the prior art, refrigeration of the cooling fluid itself isusually necessary, and then this achieved to a temperature of around−20° C., depending on the ambient conditions.

Because the present invention involves no refrigeration of the coolingfluid itself, it may be important for the chamber 4 to be thermallyinsulated from its environment. To this end, the chamber 4 is formed, inthis example, from double-skinned walls 6 a, 6 b with an airspacetherebetween. This provides sufficient insulation for the purposes ofthe present invention.

In the above example, an adjustable timing mechanism 10 has beendisclosed which is effective to control operation of the pump motor 18.It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the particulartype of timer 10 which is chosen is not material to the presentinvention. So long as it is able to be set to the desired time by auser, and, in dependence upon this, controls operation of the pump 18,then any type of timing mechanism will suffice. Furthermore, there is nonecessity for a timing mechanism to be present at all. The invention isequally efficacious if the pump 18 circulates the cooling fluid 30around the bottle 14 under the user's control. Use of the timingmechanism 10 does, however, allow a user of the cooling apparatus topre-select the duration for which the bottle 14 is to be cooled bycirculation of the cooling fluid 30 before disabling of the pump 18.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chamber isdimensioned to accept a common wine bottle of standard size and shape.This means that a known clearance between the outside of the bottle andthe inside of the chamber exists. This known clearance is desirable sothat maximum efficiency of cooling of the bottle by the circulation ofcooling fluid therearound is achieved. For example, there may becircumstances in which a laminar flow of the cooling fluid around thebottle is desirable. Alternatively, there may be circumstances when aturbulent flow is preferable.

Locating wails 38 are provided on the base 11 to ensure that the bottleis positioned away from the wall 6 a to enable the ice-water mixture toflow completely around the outside of the bottle.

Furthermore. although a submersible magnetic pump has been describedhereabove, other devices for moving the ice-water mixture will suffice.The important feature is that the mixture is moved within the chamber 4.Indeed, it can be envisaged that the pump 18, 20 need not be below thesupport member 12 at all. The outlet 28, for example could be housed inthe upper portion of the chamber 4 and achieve the desired effect ofcirculation in the chamber. Other devices such as a paddle or vane mightbe used, rotating or oscillating to move or agitate the ice-watermixture.

The invention has been particularly described with regard to a singlewine bottle, but may be applied also. for example, to a can or smallpack, a four-pack for example, of cans.

What is claimed is:
 1. Cooling apparatus comprising a chamber forreceiving and supporting a container to be cooled, the chamber arrangedto contain cooling fluid for cooling the container within the chamber;the cooling fluid consisting essentially of a mixture of ice and water;the apparatus further comprising fluid pumping means for circulating thecooling fluid around the container in the chamber.
 2. Cooling apparatusaccording to claim 1 further comprising a timer mechanism forcontrolling operation of the circulating means.
 3. Cooling apparatusaccording claim 2 wherein the timer mechanism comprises an adjustabletimer.
 4. Cooling apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the adjustabletimer operates the circulating means when set and stops operation of thecirculating means when timed-out.
 5. Cooling apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the chamber has a thermally insulative wall.
 6. Coolingapparatus according to claim 5, wherein the thermally insulative wallcomprises a double-skinned wall of plastic material with air between thedouble skins.
 7. Cooling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein thechamber includes a support member on which a container for cooling maybe placed.
 8. Cooling apparatus according to claim 7 wherein thecirculating means is below the support member.
 9. Cooling apparatusaccording to claim 8 wherein the circulating means is arranged to drawcooling fluid through a central portion of the support member and ejectthe drawn cooling fluid through a radially outer portion of the supportmember.
 10. Cooling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the chamberdefines a generally circular cross-section cylinder.
 11. Coolingapparatus according to claim 1 wherein the circulation means comprises apump.
 12. Cooling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the pump is asubmersible pump.
 13. Cooling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein thechamber includes a flared portion on its outer wall, defining a carryinghandle.
 14. A method of cooling a container placed within a chambercomprising; supporting the container on a base of the chamber, providinga mixture of ice and water within the chamber; the container being atleast partially immersed in the mixture; agitating the mixture to moveabout the container.
 15. A method according to claim 14 wherein theduration of agitation of the mixture is set in dependence upon therequired degree of cooling of the container.
 16. A method according toclaim 14 wherein agitation of the mixture is achieved by pumping themixture around the chamber.
 17. A method according to claim 14, whereina container placed within the chamber sits upon a support member housedwithin the chamber.
 18. A wine cooler comprising a housing defining anopen topped chamber for receiving and supporting a wine bottle and amixture of ice and water for cooling the tine, and fluid pumping meansfor moving the ice and water relative to the chamber and the bottle. 19.A wine cooler as claimed in claim 18, wherein the housing is adapted tosupport the bottle at the base of the chamber.
 20. A wine cooler asclaimed in claim 19, wherein a support member is positioned at the baseof the chamber for resting the bottle on the support member.
 21. A winecooler as claimed in claim 20, wherein an impeller is housed beneath thesupport member and driven to move the water in the chamber.
 22. A winecooler as claimed in claim 21, wherein an electric motor is provided todrive the impeller sufficiently rapidly to induce turbulent flow in thewater and circulate it around the wine bottle.
 23. A cooling apparatusfor cooling a wine bottle or the like, comprising a housing having achamber for receiving and supporting the wine bottle or the like and forreceiving cold water or an ice and water mixture and an electricallydriven vane within the housing and movable relative to the housing formoving the water relative to the bottle or the like.
 24. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 23, wherein an impeller incorporating a plurality ofvanes is provided and is driven to circulate water within the housing.